Rose of May
by Deceptive Flower
Summary: Slight AU. She's the Countess of France under an entirely different sort of contract, and she has every intention of saving Ciel's soul for the sake of his dear fiancée, whether Ciel wants her to or not. Sebastian always did enjoy a good competition.
1. That Countess, Returning

Disclaimer: Kuroshitsuji and its characters belong to Yana Toboso.

Author's Note: Let me start off by saying that this is probably the biggest story I've ever undertaken. Every chapter is planned out (if not already written) and I know everything that is going to happen in the story. I have quite a big buffer of chapters, so updates should come pretty regularly. This story does revolve around some original characters, but they merely serve to present a different side to things. Since this story happens to be very much my baby right now, reviews are not just appreciated, they are begged for. Any feedback you have would mean the world to me.

Honestly, I didn't plan this to follow any particular timeframe of the anime or manga. I've only seen the anime and am just now beginning the manga, so I wanted to refrain from making any chronological mistakes as much as possible, although I did do my research where it was needed. So, please let me know if there are any glaring chronological mistakes, that would be greatly appreciated.

A huge thank you to my good friend **Eris not Eros** for beta-reading and helping me work out the kinks in the plot. Also, for kicking my ass into finishing this project.

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><p><em><strong>Rose of May<br>**_

_© Deceptive Flower, January-February 2012  
><em>

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><p><strong>01. That Countess, Returning<br>**

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><p>The Midford estate was exactly as she had remembered it. It stood proudly surrounded by an array of flora that she had no doubt had been hand-picked and critically surveyed by the Marchioness herself before it had even reached the property, let alone the hands of the gardener. Its pristine structure reflected the noble standing of the family that owned it, and as the carriage pulled up to the front, she could see a startlingly familiar head of blonde curls waiting anxiously by the front steps.<p>

Corinne hadn't seen Elizabeth since before… Well, Corinne hadn't seen Elizabeth in a while; at least two years.

As the carriage pulled to a stop, Corinne had barely been helped out by her footman before she was thoroughly enveloped in a tight hug. She inhaled sharply, choking on the strands of blonde hair being forcibly shoved in her face.

Elizabeth hadn't changed at all since the last time she had seen the girl. She had been about nine or ten and Corinne had just turned twelve. They'd met at a gala hosted by her own family in Paris and the Marquis and Marchioness had brought along their two children to keep her company. Since then, they had kept up with each other's lives through letters every now and then and finally Corinne felt like she was ready to see her old friend. Her parents had thought spending the summer with Elizabeth would be good for her and she agreed entirely.

About the only things that really shook Corinne as different about Elizabeth were the positively alarming shade of yellow she wore and the few inches of height she had acquired in the years since they had seen each other. Her enthusiasm for guests had obviously stayed well intact, if the way the girl was clinging to her as if they had gone more than a few years without seeing each other was anything to go by.

"Oh, Corinne! It's been so long! I've missed you!"

Corinne gave a soft laugh, returning the hug with slightly less vigour. She stood a few inches above the girl, being three years older, but she could already guess that by next summer she and Elizabeth might very well stand nose to nose. They would have already, if Elizabeth had been wearing heels. Corinne had never quite understood her aversion to them. "I've missed you too, Lizzy. How is your mother?"

Elizabeth stepped back from Corinne, the brightness of her smile matching her flowing dress. She clapped her gloved hands together in excitement. "Mama is well. She's at a garden party with a few friends right now, but she'll be so glad to see you when she returns!"

Something in Corinne wanted to disagree, but she said nothing and turned to the maid climbing out of the carriage behind her. "Olivia, would you get my bags, please?"

The maid looked up with warm eyes and nodded. "Of course, my lady."

While the maid attended to the luggage with the help of some of the Midford staff, Elizabeth tilted her head to the side and studied Olivia. "I don't remember her. Is she new?"

Corinne nodded and her jaw clenched a little. It seemed to go unnoticed by Elizabeth which she was grateful for. "Yes. You remember my previous maid, Edith, right?" Elizabeth nodded, so she continued, "She left my family's service after getting married." It was a partial truth. Edith did leave to be with the one she loved. However, the lover she had left with was, in fact, a she. It was a scandal she would rather keep between herself and her family.

Elizabeth seemed content with the answer, so she grabbed Corinne by the hand and led her inside the manor. "Edward is out with friends and Father has an audience with the Queen, so I'm afraid I'm the only one here to greet you. I hope you don't mind," she flashed an apologetic smile back to Corinne.

"Oh, it's fine, Lizzy. Really. There's no need to fuss over me." Corinne was actually a bit thankful she didn't have to deal with the entire family just yet. Edward wasn't exactly someone she liked to keep company with. He'd been awfully argumentative the last time she had visited and she didn't think her nerves could take a debate right now. As for the Marchioness and her husband, well, she got along far better with Elizabeth and that was just fine with her.

Truthfully, before the investigation had occurred and the kidnappings had started, she'd been quite close to the Marchioness, Frances Midford, but then she came back and suddenly she was damaged goods and unworthy of her time. She didn't exactly blame the woman. Even her own staff had been odd around her and it took a good year before things had finally found a sense of normalcy again. She had been the centre of controversy for ages back in France.

As Elizabeth disappeared to find Paula, Corinne sat down in the foyer on one of the plush couches. She folded her hands in her lap, messing with the lace fabric of her gloves as she waited for either Elizabeth or Olivia to return. She wasn't surprised when Olivia showed up first moments later and took to standing dutifully behind the sofa.

"All your things are settled, my lady," Olivia spoke with a saccharine tone; soft, but meaningful.

Her voice complemented her appearance quite well, Corinne thought. Tendrils of hair were falling around her pale face where it had escaped from her uniform bonnet. Corinne liked to think her hair might have been the exact shade of an autumn leaf; neither red nor brown, but somewhere in between and indescribably pretty. It was much better than her own mousy, dull colour that did nothing to accentuate the brown of her eyes, in fact having the opposite effect and simply washing her out. Sometimes, Corinne found herself envying Olivia – as silly as that might be. She had always thought blue eyes would have suited herself better, but on Olivia they looked other-wordly. The exact replica of a cloudless sky.

"My lady?"

Corinne blinked and realised she had lost focus. "Sorry. Thank you, Olivia."

Olivia placed a gentle hand on her charge's shoulder. "You have nothing to be envious of. God has made you in perfect likeness of Himself, so long as you follow Him."

Coming from anyone else, Corinne might have felt insulted, but since Olivia had been the one to say it, she nodded. Albeit, she felt a little embarrassed that she had been caught staring, but Olivia had that kind of way about her. She had an other-wordly beauty about her because, to be frank, she wasn't of this world.

"I'm back!"

Corinne jumped slightly and quickly turned around to see Elizabeth followed by Paula holding a tray with two teacups and saucers and a steaming teapot. As Elizabeth bounded over to sit next to Corinne, Paula set the tray on the coffee table and poured the two girls each a cup full of warm tea. Corinne thanked Paula and gratefully took the saucer offered to her, then took a sip. "Fuijan?" she asked Elizabeth, recognising the taste. "How did you know?"

Elizabeth took a sip from her own cup. "You mentioned it the last time you were here. I thought it would be a good welcome gift." The smile on her face was almost enough to blind Corinne.

"It is. Thank you, Lizzy." Corinne closed her eyes as she took another drink and relished in the velvety taste of her favourite tea.

"So," Elizabeth started, setting her teacup and saucer on the coffee table. "How have you been? You know, your English has gotten so much better since we last saw each other."

Corinne opened her eyes again to set her own saucer down, once again folding her hands in her lap. She couldn't help but laugh. "That is good to hear. I admit, I must have been horridly clumsy with my English last time. That tour around Europe with my parents did help though. Mother says I could pass as an English woman if it were not for my accent."

"Right." Elizabeth nodded, her face suddenly shadowed with worry. "The tour. How have you been since then?"

There was a sigh from Corinne at her words. She should have expected the topic to come up sooner or later. She had just been hoping for the latter. "I am... healing," she put it lightly. Her shoulders had tensed and her hands were clasped together more firmly than they had been previously, causing her gloves to crinkle.

It had been three years, but she still found herself waking in the dead of night screaming. Olivia was always the one first by her side, then her parents. After the screaming stopped, Olivia would shoo them back to bed then return to Corinne, petting her hair until she had calmed down and stay by her side until she fell asleep again. She hoped Elizabeth would not experience the screams tonight.

"You know, I was so scared for you when I heard you had gone missing," Elizabeth said softly. It was the first time since Corinne had arrived that the girl hadn't been bursting at the seams with enthusiasm. "I'm glad you are safe now."

She felt awkward having this conversation now. Olivia hadn't said anything, but she found she was grateful to have the woman standing there for silent support. Paula had stayed unusually quiet as if she were intruding on something not for her ears or eyes.

As the sound of a sniffle was heard, Corinne unfolded her hands and pulled Elizabeth into a hug. She saw the threat of tears in the younger girl's eyes and made a shushing sound. "I am safe now," she assured her. "Don't be upset."

"So many girls disappeared," Elizabeth hiccupped. "I was so afraid you would be one of the ones that didn't come back."

Corinne rubbed Elizabeth's back and lifted her head to glance at Olivia. She didn't know what to do. She had never been particularly adept at comforting people, always staying detached enough as protocol dictated and after the investigation had closed, she had been even more wary of people and physical contact. Elizabeth was one of the few people she allowed to cling to her and hug her the way she did.

Olivia looked back at her with a solemn expression, but cleared her throat lightly. "Lady Corinne is a strong girl, Miss Elizabeth. There is no need for tears."

Elizabeth seemed to take the hint and pulled away from the hug. She pulled a handkerchief out of her pocket and dabbed at her eyes. "I'm sorry. We should talk about something else."

"Agreed." Corinne had never been so grateful for the chance to change the subject. "Tell me about your fiancé? I assume you two are still engaged. At least, that was the case in your last letter."

As if a switch had been turned on in Elizabeth, her face was suddenly illuminated with another smile. The previous topic was dismissed completely. "Oh, yes! Ciel!"

Corinne couldn't help but smirk slightly. Elizabeth seemed to be smitten with Ciel Phamtomhive now just as much as she was three years ago. Perhaps more, now that she was older. Of course, she imagined the Earl's own disappearing act might have had something to do with Elizabeth's attachment too. She had never had the chance to meet him, but Elizabeth talked about him so often in her letters that she might as well have.

She didn't know the full story of Ciel's disappearance, only what Elizabeth had told her through their letters to each other while she had been distraught and the younger girl hadn't been particularly divulging of information. To be honest, she wasn't even sure Elizabeth knew the full details either. All she really knew was that he had disappeared after his parents were murdered and the Phantomhive manor had burned down. It had been a tragic source of gossip for months even in France because of the late Earl's involvement in her own case.

Earl Vincent Phantomhive. She felt guilty that she had never given the man a proper thank you before his death.

"Ciel, right." Corinne nodded. "Have you two been getting along?"

Elizabeth giggled. "Of course, silly. I bought him the cutest outfit the other day! I'm going to take it to him tomorrow. You should come with me so you can meet him!"

Corinne thought about it for a moment. "Will that be alright? I don't want to intrude, especially unannounced."

"Oh, it's alright! I surprise Ciel with visits all the time!" Elizabeth beamed and something told Corinne the young Earl probably didn't enjoy that in the least, but she didn't say anything.

"Well... if you say so. What could it hurt?" Corinne relented. She was rewarded with a rather loud peal of excitement from the other girl which caused her to wince slightly.

"Elizabeth! Do calm down."

Elizabeth immediately froze and Corinne blinked in confusion, turning her gaze to the figure in the doorway. "Oh," she said in surprise, standing to her feet and giving a small curtsey. "Marchioness. It's a pleasure to see you again."

The woman sniffed, entering the room. "Likewise."

Frances Midford was almost exactly as Corinne had remembered her; albeit she was sharper and colder. She was still tall and willowy and the crisp, high-collared, plum gown she wore was so perfectly draped, it didn't have the slightest hint of a wrinkle. That was definitely a trait of Frances Midford, pristine right down to the polished cameo buckles on her shoes. Even as she entered the room, Corinne wanted to shrink away, not out of fear, but out of feeling inadequate. It had been that way since she'd returned from the investigation less than pristine herself.

Frances turned to Paula, who stood there like a deer caught in the crossfire of gunshots. "Paula, do find something useful to do instead of standing there with the look of a lame horse."

Paula looked frantic for a moment before she bowed clumsily and scurried out of the room without another word. Corinne winced and instantly felt sympathy for the poor maid.

"Mama!"

The Marchioness turned sharp eyes to her daughter. "Elizabeth, sit up straight. I didn't raise you in a barn."

Elizabeth bristled a little but did as she was told. Corinne took this as her cue to sit down again since it seemed that Frances was going to stay a while. She could tell Elizabeth was embarrassed and glanced at her sympathetically while her mother hadn't been looking.

With all the elegance of a rose and the sharpness of its thorns, Frances took a seat across from the two girls in a high-back armchair and regarded Corinne with the eyes of a hawk. "You've grown up since I last saw you," she stated simply. "Have you found a suitor yet? You'll need to marry soon."

Corinne shifted uncomfortably. "No, my lady. I have not." The last thing she wanted to think about right now was marriage.

"Elizabeth," the Marchioness turned to her daughter, "perhaps you should bring Corinne along to one of the dinner parties you will be attending this season."

Elizabeth, despite the awkwardness of the situation, seemed to like the idea. "Of course, Mama."

Turning her attention back to Corinne, Frances steepled her gloved hands under her chin as if in prayer. "I see you've acquired a new maid. I hope she is more efficient than the last."

Corinne noticed Elizabeth fidgeting next to her and felt her sympathy escalating. She didn't take her eyes away from the Marchioness even though she felt incredibly small under the harsh gaze. "Yes. This is Olivia and she's quite efficient. The best I've come to have actually." She was absolutely certain of that much.

"You humble me, my lady," Olivia bowed her head, speaking up for the first time since the Marchioness had entered the room.

Frances gave a cluck of her tongue, but nodded in approval. "Very well." She stood. "I've had quite a long day, so if you'll excuse me I will be upstairs until dinner."

"Alright, Mama," Elizabeth said softly. Her ramrod posture hadn't changed in the slightest since her mother had shown up.

"Good evening, my lady," Corinne bowed her head and kept it there until the Marchioness left the room in a swirl of skirts and the rapt clicking of heels. A few minutes of silence passed before she heard a loud exhale from Elizabeth. "Oh, she's not that bad," she tried to sooth her, looking up.

"Not usually. I'm so sorry, Corinne. I don't know why Mama is so cross today."

"I'm sure it is just me she is cross with, Lizzy. Don't fret about it." Corinne gave her a knowing look and in return the look Elizabeth gave her was rather helpless.

"But it's not your fault. I mean, what happened..."

Corinne cut her off before she could finish. "Lizzy. Please, don't worry about it, alright?" She really didn't want the topic to come up again tonight.

Out of her peripheral vision, Corinne saw Olivia move around the couch. She turned to face her as she approached Elizabeth. "Lady Elizabeth, do you own horses? My lady does love riding so very much."

Corinne couldn't help the small smile that came. Olivia was such a sweetheart to try to ease the tension that had been in the room since the Marchioness had appeared.

Elizabeth seemed to realise this and suddenly grinned. "Yes! We do. I'd be happy to show you the stables, Olivia. Corinne has seen them, but she hasn't seen the new horses we got in."

...

As it turns out, riding was exactly what Corinne had needed. Upon entering the stables, she had immediately felt at home. She could recall the last time she had visited the Midford estate a few years ago when the stables had been smaller and there had been fewer horses. Now, there was a beautiful selection and she noted easily that Elizabeth felt just as home here as she did.

Corinne had chosen one of the feistier horses. She was solid black and had a personality that she liked. Elizabeth had tried to warn her that she tended to buck people off, but Corinne merely took it as a challenge. She was a dream to ride on, too; like water. So she was appropriately named Undine.

Elizabeth was surprised at how easy Corinne made riding Undine look. From her own personal experience, she had never really taken to the mare because of her personality. She was far too unpredictable for her tastes and so she had taken to one of the calmer stallions, a brown and white one her father had named Figaro.

When Corinne and Elizabeth finally returned from riding several hours later, Olivia was standing outside chatting amiably with Elizabeth's brother, Edward. They both paused in conversation as the girls approached and Olivia quickly went to assist Corrine off her horse.

"How was your ride?" she asked politely.

Corinne grinned, a little out of breath. She'd had Undine in a full gallop on the way back so her hair had gone wispy in places around her face. She was quick to go about fixing it in place again. "Much needed."

"Nice hair," Edward snickered a little, earning a smack on the arm from Elizabeth and a glare from Corinne.

"Obviously your manners haven't changed," she retorted. "Nice to see you again, Edward."

Elizabeth frowned at her brother. "Be nice, Ed. Please."

Edward put his hands up defensively and took the offered reins from his sister to lead Figaro back to the stables. The girls walked alongside him and Olivia on the other side of them with Undine. "So how is Paris?" he looked over Elizabeth's head at Corinne.

"Bustling. Growing. The usual." Corinne shrugged. "Father is often away on business. Mother stays at home or goes into town to visit her friends. Yes, things are very much as they were last time I was here."

"I hope your Chess has gotten better. I need a new opponent and Lizzy hates the game."

"It's not cute," Elizabeth grumbled.

Corinne chuckled and patted Elizabeth on the shoulder before answering Edward. "It might have. It might even be enough to beat you."

He took the challenge, smirking. "Good. We'll play tonight then. But don't be upset if you lose."

Corinne had to resist the urge to roll her eyes. There it was again. The competition. She stood back as Olivia and Edward returned the horses to their stalls then Edward returned and offered his arms to both girls. "Ladies."

Elizabeth latched onto Edward's arm, tugging roughly as if to silently tell him to not try anything funny. Corinne took the other offered arm, linking her own through it. Together the three of them made their way back to the manor with Olivia following dutifully by Corinne's side. The smell of a freshly cooked meal could be detected even before they reached the door and it suddenly dawned on Corinne that she had not eaten since before the train ride from Paris to London.

Dinner with the Marchioness hadn't been any less tense than tea time had been and Corinne found that she was grateful at least the Marquis seemed to be in good enough spirits to hold polite conversation with her. He had always regarded her more kindly than Frances had. Edward, of course, had spent the evening finding things to debate on and it ended when Elizabeth roughly kicked him from under the table.

Corinne didn't really mind. She got her revenge beating him at Chess afterwards. She had no doubt Edward would demand a rematch in the morning. After she had bid everyone goodnight, she and Olivia ventured to her room. Corinne immediately took to undoing the various laces and buttons on her gown once the door was shut, eager to be in her lightweight, simple nightdress.

Olivia fluidly crossed the room. "Allow me, my lady. You'll twist your hands trying to reach like that," she chuckled, unlacing the bodice at the back for Corinne and pulling the gown over her head. She pulled a nightdress out of the boudoir and helped Corinne into it then let the girl climb into bed.

"Tomorrow is going to be interesting," Corinne yawned, snuggling under the duvets. "It will be the first time I've met Earl Phantomhive's son... er, well... I guess Ciel is Earl now." She frowned at this.

"Yes, I imagine so," Olivia replied. "Would you like me to stay by your side tonight? Or will you be alright?"

Corinne bit her lip. "Stay please. Just in case."

Olivia gave a sad smile and pulled a chair up next to the bed. She sat and blew the single lit candle out that sat on the nightstand. "Of course, my lady."

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><p><em>So this marks the end of the first chapter. I hope you liked it and do tell me what you think? My plan is to update this weekly (to give me time to continue my buffer of chapters), so the next update will be next weekend. <em>

_**Reference Notes:**_

_**Rose of May**__ comes from the FF9 theme song by the same name, more specifically the arrangement done by YouTube's katethegreat19 who wrote beautiful lyrics to accompany it. I recommend you listen to it because it was very much the catharsis for this fic._

_The name "Undine" is derived from the Latin word "unda" meaning "wave"._


	2. That Countess, Learning

Disclaimer: Kuroshitsuji and its characters belong to Yana Toboso.

Author's note: I noticed I got some alerts, so thank you very much for those! Also, once again, thanks to **Eris not Eros **for beta-reading.

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><p><strong>02. That Countess, Learning<br>**

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><p>Corinne had decided that she detested Elizabeth's driver by the time the Phantomhive manor came into view. She was convinced he had made every effort to find every bump and ditch in the road that would make the venture from the Midford estate as uncomfortable and jostling as possible. She didn't get motion sickness, but all the same, she was glad she'd eaten a light breakfast that morning as she held onto her veiled hat with a vice grip. Elizabeth didn't seem to be faring much better as she held onto the seat and threw Olivia and her apologetic looks every so often.<p>

As the carriage pulled past the front gate to the Phantomhive residence, Corinne looked out the window. Much like Elizabeth's home, the Phantomhive estate was practically drowning in extravagance. All the trees and shrubs were cut and trimmed so precisely she thought they couldn't have possibly been real. She looked over at Elizabeth to mention as much, but she was waving at someone out the opposite window. She could only catch a glimpse of blonde hair and a straw hat before the carriage pulled him out of view, but she caught the big smile on his face at seeing Elizabeth and felt relieved that the staff was friendly.

"That was Finnian. He's Ciel's gardener," Elizabeth beamed, turning back around in her seat.

Corinne was impressed. "He did all of this?"

"He did. I don't know how he does it, but it's amazing, really."

"It is. Maybe you can convince Ciel to let me borrow him."

Elizabeth laughed and shook her head. "I'm not that good. Ciel would never allow such a thing."

As the carriage finally reached the front of the manor, it lurched to a stop. Corinne and Elizabeth both fell forwards and Olivia had to hold onto the edge of the window to keep from doing the same. Corinne gave an exasperated huff, blowing away strands of hair that had come loose from her pinned up curls and pulled herself off the floor of the carriage into a better sitting position. She tugged at Elizabeth's arm to help her up.

"Lizzy, you're my friend and I tell you this out of love, but you _desperately_ need to hire a new driver." Corinne, at least, had been smart enough to keep her voice too low for said driver to hear.

Elizabeth nodded in agreement. "We would, but he's older and this is the only way he can feed his family. I'd hate to turn him out, you know?"

"Oh." Corinne felt some sympathy for the man. But not enough to forgive him for ruining her curls. Her dress was a bit wrinkled too at the hem now and she desperately went to smooth it as Elizabeth bounded out of the carriage like a tiny, blonde whirlwind clearly on a mission.

Olivia left next and then held a hand out to Corinne to help her down. "My lady, are you alright?"

"Fine. Just a bit shaken up from the ride. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Shall we follow Lady Elizabeth?" Olivia's gaze turned to the girl who was already bee-lining up the steps to the door. "I believe she has her sights set on a certain young Earl, don't you think?"

Corinne chuckled. "No doubt."

Olivia and Corinne followed after Elizabeth, albeit much calmer and not nearly as determined. They were greeted by the butler as Elizabeth barrelled into the manor shouting for her fiancé.

"Lady Elizabeth, what a surprise to see you this morning." The butler paused as his eyes rested on Corinne and then Olivia. For a moment something akin to shock crossed his face before it quickly disappeared. "I see you've brought friends."

Elizabeth gave a slight curtsey, completely missing the look. "Hello, Sebastian! Ciel is here, isn't he?"

"My young master is up in his study. I would be happy to fetch him for you."

Corinne blinked at the man whom Elizabeth had called 'Sebastian'. She had noticed the look he gave Olivia and she quickly looked to the woman to see her reaction. She stood stock still, her eyes – usually so passive – were set quite severely on Sebastian. She didn't understand it. Obviously she would be asking her about it later, away from the others.

Elizabeth didn't skip a beat. "That would be lovely. Thank you, Sebastian. We'll wait in the foyer."

Sebastian bowed deeply and left, probably a bit quicker than necessary, to do as he was told. While he was gone, Elizabeth grabbed Corinne's hand and all but dragged her to the foyer in anticipation. Corinne looked back when she realised Olivia had not followed, but was staring at where Sebastian had disappeared to. "Olivia!" she called attention to the maid.

Olivia's gaze snapped back to Corinne and, realising she hadn't moved, quickly caught up with them. "Apologies, my lady."

Corinne gave her a questioning look, clearly curious about the strange encounter, but Olivia merely shook her head in a way of saying 'not now'.

The foyer of the Phantomhive manor was vastly different from the Midfords' foyer. Where the Midford foyer was decorated in light blues and sunny yellows and ivories with light wooded accents, the Phantomhive foyer was positively dark; dark curtains, dark tapestries, dark wood. Everything seemed to represent something entirely gothic and dreary which, she supposed with a bit of sadness, might've been appropriate given the loss the young Earl suffered.

She had heard from Elizabeth that after the first Phantomhive estate burned down, Ciel had had it rebuilt to replicate the old one. Elizabeth had even assured her of the accuracies from the furniture right down to the cracks in the ceiling. It seemed astounding and almost unreal that she was standing in the very foyer where Vincent Phantomhive and his wife might have once sat, even if it was only replicated. She noted mentally that at some point while they were here, she would like to visit his grave and pay her respects. He had, after all, saved her life.

The three of them didn't have to wait for long before the soft click of heels entered the room. When Corinne looked up to meet the eyes of the Earl, she would have been lying had she said he was exactly as she had pictured him. He looked nothing like what she would've pictured the fiancée of bubbly Elizabeth Midford to look like. But then again, that was usually the case with arranged marriages.

Ciel Phantomhive was easily several inches shorter than herself, making him an inch or two shorter than Elizabeth even with the small heel on his boots. He looked perhaps a year or two younger than his fiancée, which surprised her. Men were usually older than their intended. She noted he wore only the finest material, and from the way he carried himself tall and looked at them all disdainfully out of one cerulean eye, she imagined he must've been very proud of character. The eyepatch took her by surprise and she wondered if the eye underneath was simply missing or hiding something.

Corinne dropped into a deep curtsey, the veil from her hat shadowing the slight confusion in her eyes. "My lord," she greeted while Elizabeth simultaneously ran across the room and enveloped the boy in a bone-crushing embrace. Corinne couldn't help but stifle a small chuckle at her behaviour.

"Ciel! I've missed you!"

"I've, uh, missed you too, Lizzy," replied Ciel, albeit sounding more than a little tense and awkward as he patted her arm in what he hoped to be an affectionate manner to placate the girl.

Corinne lightly cleared her throat, pulling Elizabeth out of her lovestruck daze. "Oh, Ciel! I'd like to introduce you to a friend of mine." She swung her arm out grandly towards Corinne and Olivia. "This is the _Comtesse du France_, Corinne Amelia Marie Delacroix and her maid, Olivia." Elizabeth's pronunciation of her French title brought a small appreciative grin to her face.

Corinne gave another curtsey and as she straightened again, she found Ciel studying her with a long stare.

"Delacroix..." the French rolled off Ciel's lips like fine wine. "It sounds familiar."

Corinne held her breath, but thankfully was saved from answering when Olivia placed slender hands on her shoulders and regarded Ciel calmly. "The late Vincent Phantomhive rescued my lady from the kidnappings several years ago, my lord."

Ciel frowned. He had been young, but he could recall nights when his father had come home very late distraught about the whole investigation. Various girls of status from all over Europe had been disappearing and - later found out - they were being sold into prostitution. It had been difficult tracking the girls down because they had changed handlers so often. He didn't have his father's newspaper clippings - they had been lost in the fire that burned down the manor, but he could remember how relieved his father had been to have returned several of them safely home. The girl before him must have been one of them. "I see."

Sebastian re-entered the foyer with a rolling cart carrying fine china teacups and several plates of something sweet to eat. As everyone took their seats around the coffee table, he set about placing the cups and saucers in front of them and pouring them tea. "Today's menu is Darjeeling tea accompanied by freshly made tiramisu complements of my lord's chef. It was a lie of, course. Everything had been prepared himself because Bard simply could not be trusted in the kitchen without setting everything alight.

Corinne took a bite of the tiramisu and gave a hum of approval. "My complements to the chef."

Sebastian smirked wryly. "I will be sure to inform him of your approval, my lady." With that, he bowed and left the room.

Olivia watched him go, lips set in a firm line. Elizabeth and Corinne had fallen into idle chatter with Ciel, which gave her the opportunity to dismiss herself from the room and follow after the illustrious butler. She picked her skirts up as she headed down the hallway in search of him.

Elizabeth took a sip of her tea and smiled at Ciel. "Ciel, while we're here, I'd like to show Corinne around the manor if that is no trouble for you."

"Oh, it's alright – I mean, you don't have to –" Corinne blanched, setting her cup down on the table in front of them.

Ciel put his hand up and merely nodded. It would be wise to allow it, rather than risk upsetting Elizabeth and have her throw a fit. "It's fine. If Elizabeth wants to show you the manor then I will be... happy to oblige her."

Elizabeth beamed. Corinne plucked up the courage to give a smaller smile. "T-thank you, then, my lord."

"Sebastian and I will be glad to show you around this evening after dinner," Ciel continued. "I noticed Lizzy brought her suitcase with her, so I assume you will be staying the night?"

"Yes, but don't worry, Ciel! We'll be gone in the morning," Elizabeth chimed in.

"Very well."

Elizabeth clapped suddenly, causing Ciel and Corinne to look at her. "That reminds me. I bought you a new outfit, Ciel. I want you to try it on for me, okay? Please?" She batted long eyelashes, that – on anyone else – might have had the desired effect, but Ciel merely shrunk back in his seat.

"Lizzy, I don't have time for-"

"Oh, please, Ciel? For me?"

Ciel pinched the bridge of his nose. "Alright, Alright."

Elizabeth was already on her feet and dragging Ciel out of the foyer by the arm before Corinne had even stood up. She chuckled and followed after them.

...

Olivia turned into the kitchen to see Sebastian cleaning up the dishes he had used in making the tiramisu.

Sebastian didn't look up from the sink, but a smirk played at his lips. "A little far from home, aren't you?" he asked playfully.

"I could say the same for you, demon." Olivia retorted, crossing her arms and leaning against the doorframe. "What are you doing here?"

Sebastian turned the water off and dried his hands, then slowly lifted the one that bore the contract for Olivia to see. An intricate patterned circle covered the majority of the back of his hand. Olivia knew that symbol far too well. She sucked in a hard breath, her eyes suddenly furious. "I thought it would have been rather obvious," he explained.

"You're despicable. He is just a child!"

"A foolish one," Sebastian smirked. "Nevertheless, a contract we have formed and I am bound to his orders until he has completed his revenge. And then..." His smirk turned to something more predatory and Olivia found herself shivering.

She felt the anger uncoiling in her stomach like a snake, but took a breath and centred herself. Her eyes closing briefly. _Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath. Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil_. "Don't finish that sentence."

Sebastian smiled. "There is no need. You know exactly what I was intending to say."

Olivia glared and her fists clenched into the fabric of her apron. It was hardly the time for a confrontation, but nevertheless Olivia was fighting the urge to do something entirely un-saintly and give the butler a good slap. "You will not harm that boy's soul."

"I do not think it is up to you what happens to his soul," Sebastian replied, staring right back at the maid.

"There you are!"

Olivia blinked and forced herself to break eye contact with Sebastian to turn towards the voice. Corinne walked down the length of the hall, coming to a stop beside her. She peered momentarily into the kitchen and gave a small smile to Sebastian who had just finished pulling his gloves back on. "I was wondering where you had ventured off to," she looked back to Olivia.

Olivia bowed her head, her eyes soft again although her hands were still bunched in her apron. "My apologies. Did you need something?"

Corinne shook her head. "Elizabeth is attempting to force Ciel into the new outfit she bought him. I thought it best I stay out of it."

Sebastian chuckled. "Oh dear. Perhaps I should go mediate before my young master loses his temper," he replied coolly. He bowed at the two ladies, hand over his chest, then slid past the them – briefly smirking at Olivia – and swiftly disappeared down the hall Corinne had come from.

The two girls were left alone and Corinne didn't waste a second to bring up what had been eating at her since they had arrived. "Is everything alright, Olivia? You look tense."

"I'm fine, my lady." Olivia nodded, staring where Sebastian had left. "Awful creature."

Corinne followed Olivia's gaze in confusion. "Who? Sebastian?" Her eyes widened momentarily. "Is he... like you?"

"Absolutely not." Olivia almost looked offended, her eyes snapped back to stare at her mistress. "He's a demon."

"Oh." Olivia had told Corinne briefly about demons before, so the fact that Ciel was housing one – either knowingly or not – sent a million questions buzzing in her head. But standing exposed in the kitchen like they were where anyone could eavesdrop didn't make for a good time to ask. She shut her mouth where it had been poised to ask a question and linked her arm through her maid's instead. "You will tell me later, won't you?" she asked. At least for now, she thought better not to confront Sebastian or Ciel about the matter.

Olivia nodded. "Of course, my lady."

Corinne and Olivia could make out the distinct high-pitched cries of Elizabeth by the time they had left the kitchen and ascended up the stairs, making the young countess worry what – or who – had upset her friend so much. She had a feeling it might have been Ciel. She paused with Olivia at the top of the stairs. Elizabeth was standing outside one of the doors, clearly upset. Corinne assumed it was Ciel's bedroom, the boy within the confines of it. It would have been rude pry on them while they were obviously in a disagreement, so she allowed them a few minutes to work it out on their own. Instead, she busied herself studying the large portrait that graced the wall just centred above the staircase.

She recognised the man instantly; the flatly-painted, gentle smile stirring old memories in her mind that she would rather forget. Vincent Phantomhive. She presumed the elegant woman on his arm must have been his wife, Countess Rachel Phantomhive. She had never had the honour of meeting the woman, but even in France, the Phantomhive's history of philanthropy was well known.

"Those are my parents."

Corinne jumped a little. She hadn't realised the arguing had died down and that Ciel and Sebastian had emerged from the bedroom, and Elizabeth was now looking much happier. Ciel was standing beside her gazing up at the painting himself through one bright blue eye that she recognised instantly. He had his mother's eyes. She turned her gaze back to the painting for a moment, absorbing the information that Ciel had confirmed for her. "I thought so," she said quietly. "Your mother is beautiful."

Ciel frowned a bit and looked away. "Yes."

Corinne looked back to Ciel, about to comment further, until she noticed the outfit he now wore which differed greatly from what he wore before. For one, there was entirely more frills to the cuffs and collar that distinctly reminded her of something one of her porcelain dolls back in France adorned. The overcoat he wore was a deep maroon with silver double-breasted buttons and a matching tophat adorned with an array of ribbons and sterling silver roses. Despite the effeminate look of the ensemble, she thought it suited him quite well. Although, she didn't dare say so.

Elizabeth seemed to take notice of Corinne's surveillance of his outfit and hugged Ciel's arm tightly with a bright smile. "Doesn't he look adorable, Corinne?"

Corinne had to stifle a laugh. "He looks quite charming, Lizzy. But you already knew that he would, didn't you?" she teased lightly and noted with a bit of amusement how Ciel seemed to squirm uncomfortably as they talked about him.

Sebastian stepped forward, passing by Ciel and Elizabeth to reach the stairs. "Young Master will keep you entertained while I see to dinner being prepared," he informed politely, then descended the stairs.

Ciel led Elizabeth by the arm to the entertainment room with Olivia and Corinne following.

...

Corinne was pleasantly surprised by how well Ciel could play a game of Chess. After dinner had ended, she had resumed her match with the Earl in the entertainment room. He was far better than Edward and he usually put up a good fight against Corinne; but Ciel played the game like an expert. So when Ciel tipped her King over in a declaration of checkmate, all Corinne could do was sit back in awe and remark how well he played. "It's just a matter of knowing your pieces," he had replied and Corinne thought there was something in his expression that told her he wasn't just talking about Chess anymore.

It was getting late into evening when Sebastian politely withdrew Ciel from the entertainment room, insisting that he needed to get his sleep if he was going to get anything done tomorrow. Ciel bid them all goodnight, with the added notice that the staff would be going to bed soon as well and they should get to bed before then, and then withdrew from the room. Soon enough Elizabeth was escorted to bed by Maylene, one of the maids of the Phantomhive manor, since her own maid, Paula, had not come with them.

That left the entertainment room to just Olivia and Corinne and the younger refused to let this opportunity pass her. She stood from her seat in front of the chessboard and crossed the room to where her maid had been engaged in a game of Beggar-My-Neighbour with Elizabeth. Olivia was now picking up the forgotten cards and putting them back in the box, but a smile tugged at her lips when Corinne entered her line of sight. She had been expecting it.

"Do you have questions, my lady?" she asked, carefully setting the box down and looking up.

Corinne nodded. "I do. I want you to tell me about Demons. About... about Sebastian. Why is he here?"

Olivia glanced to the door, then turned back to Corinne. She was sure she had seen movement, making her frown. "Perhaps we should continue this conversation in your room, my lady. The walls have ears."

"Alright..."

Olivia stood up and escorted Corinne back to her room. The bedroom, as the girl had come to expect, was much like the rest of the manor; dark. So, she was grateful when Olivia lit a candle and set it on the bedside table, at least casting part of the room in a comforting light while she changed into her nightdress. Olivia was quick to help her unlace the intricate bodice and corset underneath and pull the deep blue dress off in a fluid movement. She helped her charge into the nightdress, and tucked her into bed, taking her seat beside her like she had always done.

"What would you like to know first?" Olivia asked, acting very much like a schoolteacher preparing to teach her pupil a valuable lesson she would utilise later in life.

Corinne glanced at her hands. She didn't even know where to start. "Um... tell me about Sebastian. You said he was a demon. Does... does Ciel know?"

"I imagine he's very aware of what Sebastian is. Demons rarely serve mortals so willingly unless they get to reap some sort of benefit. They form contracts for that reason. Demons are selfish creatures, my lady."

"Contract?" Corinne looked confused. "What do you mean? Is that like my contract with you?"

"Heaven's no!" Olivia gasped, and reached a hand out to Corinne. "When a mortal makes a contract with a Demon – often times known as Faustian contracts – the Demon will be in their service until the demands of the contract are met. In that way, they are similar. But, generally, Faustian contracts are made for selfish reasons; fame, fortune, revenge, lust..." she scrunched her nose up. "And many times a Demon will only make the contract for their own selfish gain. A contract with an Angel is different. _Our_ contract is different. I serve you because I want to help you. I want to see you get better from your own crisis. The binding of our contract is selfless. Do you understand?"

Corinne nodded slowly. "What kind of gain does a Demon or... what kind of gain does Sebastian get from contracting with Ciel?"

Olivia bit her lip. This was what she was hesitant to tell her. "Demons only want one thing out of a contract. A soul. The soul of a human is a Demon's source of energy."

"A soul? But that would mean that Ciel..."

"Yes."

Corinne blinked, eyes watering slightly. "He... he sold his soul? But... why? Why would he do that?"

"There are numerous reasons why a person would sell their soul to the Devil. Often times it is in a moment of hopelessness when they feel they have nothing left. Demons feed off that energy. And a mortal can so easily be swayed two ways: to the light, like you were, or to the shadows, like Ciel."

Olivia watched Corinne suddenly become very interested in a loose thread on the sleeve of her nightdress. She placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and tenderly brushed a loose strand of hair out of her face. "If this is upsetting you, we can discuss this another time."

"N-No, it's not that. I mean, it does upset me that Ciel would... sell his soul. But no, I just... is my soul... I mean... are you going to..." Corinne couldn't think of how to finish her sentence, but Olivia seemed to understand what she was trying to ask and next thing she knew she was being pulled into a hug.

"No, of course not, my lady. As I said, an Elysian contract is entirely selfless. I don't want your soul. Angels don't need souls like Demons do. Do you remember what I told you when we first met? About the condition of our contract?" Olivia looked down at Corinne.

Corinne nodded, stifling a yawn. "You said I had to save a soul. That was the stipulation." She looked down at her hands again. "But it's so hard. People are stubborn and I don't know if I am strong enough to do something like that."

Olivia clucked her tongue in disapproval. "Now, don't start that again. You're a very brave girl, my lady, and I won't let you think otherwise. There is no time limit on our contract. Just have faith. That's all an Angel can ask of you."

That seemed to cheer Corinne up. She had begun drifting off and for several long minutes there was a comfortable silence in the air. Olivia was almost ready to blow out the candlelight when Corinne's sleep-laden voice rang through the quiet. "I think I know whose soul I want to save, Olivia."

Olivia paused and raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"Ciel. I want to save Ciel."

* * *

><p><em>Woooo, another chapter done. Thank you, <em>_**Eris**__, for such a heartfelt review._

_**Reference Notes:**_

_Beggar-My-Neighbour is the original, albeit simpler, form of Egyptian Ratscrew probably invented in Britain and has been around at least since the 1860s, as it was mentioned in Charles Dicken's novel _Great Expectations_ played by Pip, the book's protagonist._

"_Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath. Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil__." __Olivia is reciting a scripture from the Bible. Psalm 37:8 to be exact._

_As always, reviews would be greatly appreciated. _


	3. That Countess, Meddling

Disclaimer: Kuroshitsuji and its characters do not belong to me.

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><p><strong>03. That Countess, Meddling<br>**

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><p>Ciel had been cooped up in his study fairly early in the morning when the light, hesitant knock sounded on his door. Immediately, he knew it wasn't Elizabeth, because his fiancée – excitable as she was – would have merely bounded into the room without warning. Still, considering he had left her to her own devices after breakfast, he would not have been the least bit surprised if she had already come to bug him. He motioned with the flutter of a gloved hand at Sebastian to answer the door, his eye never wavering from the stack of papers before him and looked up when the soft click of the door opening met his ears. He was only mildly surprised to see that it was Corinne, with Olivia standing a few paces behind her. Both of them were dressed quite nicely now compared to breakfast. Even Olivia wore a nice gown as opposed to her maid uniform and Corinne had added frilled bonnet with neat satin ribbons tied securely under her chin to her ensemble.<p>

He cleared his throat as they entered and set the papers aside. From the look on Corinne's face and the way she carried herself into the room, he had the inkling she was here to speak to him about something rather important. This thought troubled him slightly. He hadn't failed to notice Sebastian's tense behaviour around the maid the day before, and of course, he had wasted no time in wheedling the information out of his Demon butler. Apparently the two were acquaintances, and that didn't sit well with him, because that meant Corinne probably knew something. Even now, he noticed the exchange of terse glances between the maid and butler as the two women entered his study. Sebastian shut the door behind them.

"My lord," Corinne curtseyed, "may I have a word with you?"

Ciel pondered her question for a moment, but he already knew what he was going to say. "I suppose so. Sebastian, step outside please." Of course, even if he did step outside, they were in silent agreement that the butler would eavesdrop as he often did when Ciel spoke alone with someone.

Corinne faltered slightly and glanced at Olivia. "Actually, I'd like him to stay, if that is alright with you."

Well, that changed things. "Fine. Go on. What did you want to speak to me about?"He kept his voice indifferent and folded his hands in front of him, waiting expectantly.

"How long have you been in contract with a Demon, my lord?" No pretence. No pause. Just blunt directness that took Ciel completely off guard. He would have expected a question like that to come from Olivia at the very least, from what he had learned of her, but definitely not Corinne.

He floundered, cleared his throat several times, glanced severely at Sebastian for some kind of mediation (Sebastian hadn't budged an inch, but his eyes had noticeably taken on a redder hue for all of a few seconds), then let his gaze travel back to Corinne. Her expression held that of complete seriousness. "Pardon?"

"You know what I asked," she replied softly. "I do not wish to repeat myself."

Ciel's single visible eye narrowed marginally. "I hardly think it is any business of yours," he said gruffly and made to pick up his papers again in full preparation to dismiss her and the topic entirely.

"With all due respect, my lord, I think when my friend is engaged to someone who has willingly sold his soul to the Devil, it is my business. I do not wish to see Lizzy endure such grief."

Ciel's grip on the papers tightened, once again glancing at Sebastian who seemed to be far more amused by the situation than it called for. He was wearing that trademark Cheshire smirk and he wanted to slap it off. Sebastian was obviously not making any attempt to deter the conversation, to Ciel's annoyance. His attention returned to Corinne. "How do you know about the contract?" he demanded.

Olivia stepped forward, causing Ciel's gaze to snap to the woman. "I believe I am the one who told her, my lord."

Ciel slammed his papers on the desk again. "Really."

"Please, my lord, don't hasten to anger," the maid countered. "Lesser beings would feed on such energy." Her gaze travelled to Sebastian with a bit of distaste akin to someone discovering the bitter flavour of bad tea.

Ciel had heard enough, and abruptly he stood and looked to Sebastian. "Sebastian, I demand an explanation immediately."

Sebastian stepped forward to do just that, but before he could even open his mouth, Corinne had decided to speak instead.

"Allow me to explain?" She asked politely, and when neither Sebastian nor Ciel made to stop her, she continued as calmly as if she were engaging in idle chatter about the weather. "You see, you are not the only one in contract with an... other-worldly being," she put it lightly, glancing hesitantly at Sebastian.

"Your maid, I presume?" Ciel asked, soaking in the information. He had slowly sunk into his chair again, regarding both the French countess and her maid with distrust.

Corinne nodded once. "Yes. She's an Angel, my lord."

Ciel, whether he realised it or not, scowled deeply. "I have no fond memories of Angels." Of course, as he said it, he could picture the faces of Angela and Ashe in his mind's eye. No, no fond memories at all. The mantra the Angels felt so strongly to repeat were ingrained in his deepest conscious, unable to get rid of them. _Vile. Filthy. Unclean. _He shook the thoughts away.

Olivia's curiosity piqued a bit at the Earl's statement. "You have encountered one?"

Ciel grimaced. "Yes; two actually. If they count as two, anyways." He wrinkled his nose a bit. "Ashe and Angela were their names. Disgusting, the both of them."

Olivia's eyes widened, momentarily, in recognition. "Ah, I see."

Corinne looked up at her. "Did you know them, Olivia?"

"Briefly. We... have a word for those like Angela and Ashe..." Olivia tittered from foot to foot.

Ciel raised an eyebrow. "And what word is that? Freaks? Lunatics?"

"Fallen."

Leaning back in his chair, the young Earl scoffed at Olivia. "Fallen. I thought Angels were supposed to be perfect?" he sneered.

Olivia recognised the slight, but smartly chose to dismiss it as if she hadn't heard it. "We are Angels, yes, but that does not make us infallible, my lord." She glanced at Sebastian momentarily whose expression bordered between contempt and wariness, and then to Corinne who was looking back at her with keen interest in what she was saying. "Even Lucifer himself walked among the Angels before his fall into Hell."

"And why are you telling me this?" Ciel had yet to see the importance behind this conversation, except that he was gaining valuable information about his house guests. He thought it rather foolish they were so willing to divulge such information to him.

Corinne twisted her gloved hands together and took a step toward the desk. "My lord, we both have a stipulation to our contracts. You... will lose your soul. I am to save one. Your soul."

Sebastian made a sound very similar to a laugh that caused Corinne to flush heatedly as she whipped her head around to face him. When she saw him, he had a gloved hand politely covering his mouth. "You think I'm being funny, do you?" she asked the butler, sounding much more confident than she felt around his dark presence.

"My apologies, Miss Delacroix," Sebastian replied coolly and regarded his young master with a hint of amusement from across the room. "I do not think you are in any position to meddle with the contract I and my master have made."

Olivia pursed her lips and placed a hand on Corinne's shoulder again. "Oh? All the more reason for us to 'meddle', as you say," she countered. Sebastian's garnet eyes narrowed.

"This is ridiculous," Ciel interjected, averting everyone's attention back to him. He was standing again and crossing around from his desk to stand before Corinne and the Angel. "I knew exactly what I was getting into when I made the contract with Sebastian. My soul is his for the taking and I do not need either of you two sticking your noses in where it does not belong."

"But Ciel—"

Ciel cut Corinne off before she could finish, lifting a gloved hand to silence her. "My path is set on revenge, _Miss_ Delacroix, and I will not have anyone try to sway me otherwise. If you continue to argue, I will have to ask that you leave the Phantomhive estate and do not return unless expressly invited by myself."

Corinne could feel the corners of her eyes burning, but she refused to let the tears fall. She was utterly embarrassed by how quickly the conversation had made a downward spiral. She hadn't pictured it going this way at all. Perhaps it had been too naive of her to hope Ciel would be thankful for her help. She took a moment to gather herself, exhaling slowly, and then dropped into a deep curtsey. "My deepest apologies, Lord Phantomhive," she said softly, "It was not my place."

Ciel pinched the bridge of his nose and retook his seat behind the desk. A few moments of heavy silence passed before he lifted his head to address his butler. "Sebastian, prepare some tea and see that Elizabeth is alright."

Sebastian bowed. "Yes, my lord."

"Actually," Olivia cut in, "it won't be necessary. My lady and I will be joining Miss Elizabeth for church shortly, so we should probably take our leave."

Corinne had almost forgotten about that. She could feel the flush returning as her hands bunched nervously in the folds of her skirts. "R-right. We should go." She gave another quick curtsey. Then, despite herself, she made another last-ditch effort to coax Ciel. "You may join us if you wish, my lord."

"Unnecessary." Ciel seemed to be pleased that they were leaving. "Sebastian will see you off."

Sebastian made for the door and held it open for the girls. Corinne merely nodded solemnly at the young Earl and quickly left the room followed closely by Olivia. Sebastian stepped out of the study behind them and shut the door. Before he could leave the hallway, Olivia spoke up; her voice soft through the noticeable tension between them. She met Sebastian's gaze. "Perhaps you would like to join us instead. A sermon would do you good, demon."

Sebastian's lips curled a little. "Well, I'm afraid I must politely decline such a request. I have my duty to look after the master, after all."

Olivia grimaced. "Oh, I'm sure you do." She took a step back, allowing Sebastian to continue on his way, and waited until he was out of sight before turning to join Corinne. "Well, now. That wasn't as bad as expected, now was it?"

Corinne refrained from burying her face in her hands, although she did worry her bottom lip. "Oh, it was awful, Olivia. I've made a complete fool of myself."

Olivia offered a sympathetic smile as she came to link her arm with Corinne's and lead her back to the bedroom where their bags needed to be collected. "Nonsense. You've planted the seed of doubt, now it just needs time to grow."

"I hope you are right," Corinne sighed.

The girls returned to Corinne's room where Olivia gathered the already packed trunk of clothes and other personal items, then handed Corinne the worn, leather-bound Bible that had been sitting atop it. "Here you are, my lady. Don't want to leave that behind."

Corinne hugged the delicate book to her chest. The cover felt smooth under her gloved fingertips. "Right."

They exited into the hallway where Corinne and Olivia ventured downstairs. Elizabeth and Sebastian were already waiting for them by the front door.

"Tell Ciel I will see him again soon!" Elizabeth chirped, practically skipping out of the manor to the carriage that had been pulled around to the front steps.

Sebastian chuckled and followed the girl, placing her trunk securely on the back of the carriage. "I will be happy to inform my young master, Lady Elizabeth." He took Corinne's trunk from Olivia next and set it atop Elizabeth's then went around to open the door for them.

Elizabeth slid into the seat and then Olivia, who looked back expectantly at her young charge. Corinne was staring at Sebastian, still standing by the front steps of the manor. Sebastian approached her.

"I meant what I said earlier," she said quietly, taking the arm Sebastian had offered her as he led her to the carriage. "I will save Ciel."

Sebastian's eyes narrowed a little, but they were filled with a bit of amusement. He certainly wasn't worried. "Then I will enjoy the competition, Miss Delacroix." He shut the door before she could respond and several seconds later the carriage was pulling away from the Phantomhive manor.

"What competition were you talking about, Corinne?" Elizabeth spoke up. Her curious green eyes were fixated on the other girl.

Corinne felt a little startled, but was glad that Elizabeth didn't seem to realise the entire truth of the matter. She smiled a little and turned to look out the window, watching Sebastian's retreating form as he re-entered the manor. "Chess, Lizzy. Just Chess."

...

They were running late. Elizabeth had finally decided to abandon their pristine appearances and allow the driver of their carriage to speed up. The resulting bumpy ride was hardly pleasant, but at least they arrived at the Saint James church with only a few minutes to spare. Elizabeth didn't bother waiting for the door to be opened; she dashed right out and had to hold on to her hat to keep the breeze from swiping it off her head as she bumbled up the steps to the large double doors with Corinne and Olivia rushing after her.

The morning service was so packed with people, Corinne almost felt suffocated. She flicked her fan out, and waved it frantically in front of her face as she followed Olivia and Elizabeth past the throng of people to a pew near the front already packed full of finely dressed men and women and impatient children ready to go home. Elizabeth's parents were seated near the end of the third pew with Edward beside them, who stood up when he spotted them and allowed his sister to take a seat next to the Marchioness. Corinne slid into the pew after Elizabeth, exhaling heavily.

"What took you so long, dear?" Frances asked, leaning forward a little to address Elizabeth. "I was almost ready to send Edward out to get you."

Elizabeth doubted that. "I'm sorry, Mama. We were a bit late leaving Ciel's." Not to mention that she had asked the driver to go extra slow to save themselves from the disaster of their ride to the Phantomhive estate. Unfortunately that hadn't lasted, but she thought better than to tell her mother that.

Frances seemed to accept the answer. "Well, do try to leave a bit earlier next time, then. I can't have you rushing in here like the devil himself is after you. It's terribly improper. Am I clear?"

"Yes, Mama."

They didn't have to wait long before the service started and everyone had finally settled down into a pew either on the floor or the balcony above. Corinne enjoyed the choral group that led the congregation in several hymns before the minister approached the podium to give his sermon. He was a tall, gangly, older man with a greying moustache, neatly groomed around the edges of his mouth and introduced himself to his congregation as Brother Rigsley. As the choir resumed their seats, he finally began his message for the morning. Throughout the service, Olivia was helpful in pointing out where each chapter in the Bible was located as he spoke, which Corinne was grateful for. She had a hard time remembering the order the books were in no matter how many times she had read them or had them read to her by Olivia.

Brother Rigsley was just in the middle of his sermon when the double doors at the back of the church opened with an echoing click. She turned in her seat – along with several others – to see who'd had the misfortune to show up incredibly late to church. The poor fellow looked quite embarrassed as half the congregation turned their eyes on him, and quickly ducked his head and slipped into a pew at the very back. He looked severely out of breath; as if he had run the entire way there. At the gentle prodding fro Olivia, Corinne turned her attention back to the minister.

The service came to an end shortly after, allowing everyone to get up and greet one another again before dispersing. The Marquis and Marchioness quickly made a beeline for the back of the church, only making conversation with the others when they had to. Edward paused for a moment, smirked at Corinne, and then followed his parents, motioning for a sceptical Elizabeth to follow. Corinne blinked at him in confusion, but realised with a bit of horror what he was smirking for when she was practically dragged by the arm by one of the ladies of the congregation with a hat far too big and purple to be considered fashionable.

Corinne pulled her fan out again, flitting it elegantly in front of her as the purple-clad woman brought her over by a small group of women who recognised her – or rather, recognised she had been a victim of the kidnappings years ago - and tried to keep her tone polite as they poked and prodded her for personal information about her misfortunes like a bunch of gossiping hens. She clenched her jaw behind the fan between her fingertips and jumped slightly when a light hand fell on her shoulder.

"Pardon me, ladies." It was Brother Rigsley. "I don't think I've had the pleasure of introducing myself. Mademoiselle Delacroix, I presume?" he asked kindly, looking at Corinne.

Corinne offered the minister a relieved smile as the group of women dispersed with quick goodbyes to them both. "Oui, monsieur. Merci – I mean – thank you for saving me." Her voice had dropped to a whisper so as not to grab the attention of the group of women, and Rigsley laughed softly.

"It's no trouble. I could see them setting their eyes on you from the podium. How have you been enjoying London, my dear? Will you be staying long?" he asked conversationally, sticking his hand out to greet another congregation member as they left.

"Oh, it's been lovely. I'm staying with the Midford family for the summer."

Rigsley nodded. "I did see you come in with Miss Elizabeth this morning and a wonderfully attentive young lady. She is your maid, I presume?"

"Yes, sir. My name is Olivia. You have a beautiful church here."

Corinne turned, smiling at Olivia as she came up behind her. When she turned back around, she could have laughed. Rigsley was looking at Olivia as if he had discovered his long-lost daughter. He was quick to compliment her on her focus during his sermon, and Olivia bowed her head gracefully in thanks.

Rigsley turned to one of the men passing him, catching him by the arm. Corinne recognised him as the man who had come in late. "Woah, slow down there, Mr. O'Keane. Where's the fire?" he chuckled. "Is everything alright? You were awfully late this morning. Had to have Greg fill in for you for the monthly communion, you know."

"S-sorry, Brother Rigsley!" O'Keane hung his head. His accent had a slight Scottish lilt to it. "I c-completely lost track of time." The gentleman took the hat off his head, revealing that he was quite bald underneath save for the reddish-brown sideburns frizzing out on either side of his head. He lifted a gloved hand to readjust the spectacles on his nose that seemed too small for his round face. Corinne thought he rather reminded her of a cooking pig; pink-faced with quite a bit of meat on his bones, but she hardly thought it polite to say so.

Rigsley patted the man's back in sympathy. "Don't worry about it. Just try to come a bit earlier next week, hm?"

O'Keane bowed his head again. "I'll do my b-best, Sir."

Corinne lightly cleared her throat, feeling awkward standing there in silence with Olivia and Rigsley made a noise of surprise. "I'm so sorry, my dear, how rude of me. Hector, this is Countess Corinne Delacroix from France and her maid, Olivia. They'll be spending the summer with the Midfords. Miss Delacroix, this is Hector O'Keane, one of the Deacons."

Corinne held her own gloved hand out and O'Keane lifted it to his lips for a brief kiss. "How do you do?" she asked politely.

"Just fine, just fine," O'Keane replied and nodded in acknowledgement to Olivia, hastily returning his hat on top of his head. "You are staying with the Marquis and Marchioness then? Fine gentleman the Marquis is, and their children are quite charming as well." Corinne didn't bother mentioning that he hadn't commented on the Marchioness.

"Yes, I'm rather good friends with Elizabeth," she agreed. "She should be around here somewhere. I don't know where that brother of hers dragged her off to." Her eyes scanned the emptying church which was now only sparsely filled with a few groups who remained chattering away with each other in the middle of the aisles. She recognised Elizabeth's familiar blonde hair just by the door and waved her over. "There she is. I wouldn't want her to leave without me," she told Rigsley and O'Keane with a small laugh.

"There you are, Corinne!" Elizabeth cried, latching onto her arm. Rigsley looked amused by the display, but Elizabeth didn't seem to notice, or had chosen to ignore it. "Edward's horrible. He wanted to leave without you."

Corinne didn't doubt that. "Of course he would. I don't want to keep your mother waiting, but let me just finish up my conversation with Brother Rigsley and Mr. O'Keane."

Elizabeth waved her hand dismissively. "Mama and Papa already left in the carriage they came in, but I made Edward wait outside. He can ride with us."

"Well, alright then." Corinne had a feeling the ride back to the Midford's would not be a pleasant one. She would have to get Edward back for leaving her to fend for herself among those gossipy women. "Olivia," she turned to the maid, "why don't you go find Edward and get the carriage ready to depart? We'll be along shortly, I promise."

Olivia curtseyed and bowed her head. "Of course, my lady. It was a pleasure to meet you, Brother Rigsley. Mr. O'Keane." She nodded to both men, then silently walked up the aisle to the back doors, fluidly avoiding the few people that still remained.

"She's a charming maid, Miss Delacroix. You should keep her around. Not much like that these days, I'm afraid," Rigsley commented.

Corinne chuckled. "Oh yes, she's been the absolute best." And really, of course she would be. She was, after all, an Angel.

"I agree! She's about as talented as Ciel's butler!" Elizabeth chimed in.

Rigsley raised a grey eyebrow in surprise. "Ciel? Earl Ciel Phantomhive? Isn't that your fiancé, Miss Elizabeth?"

Elizabeth nodded. "Yes! We just came from visiting him at his estate! His butler, Sebastian's his name, is incredibly talented."

For once, Corinne was glad Olivia was not around, because she sort of worried how her angelic maid would react to Elizabeth praising the work of a Demon. She pushed the thought away.

"C-Ciel Phantomhive?" O'Keane spoke up. He was twisting his fingers together nervously, giving Corinne the feeling he was always a bit jittery. "Is that the son of the late Earl Vincent P-Phantomhive?"

Elizabeth nodded solemnly. "Yes. That's him. He runs Funtom Company, as you probably know. I think everyone is aware of that these days," she laughed.

"Ah, y-yes," O'Keane nodded vigorously. "My daughter loved the stuffed toys."

Corinne opened her mouth before she could stop herself. "Loved, sir?" She instantly regretted it when she saw the stricken look on his face.

O'Keane looked down at his hands, his face going redder – if that were possible. "My wife left a few y-years ago and returned to Scotland. Took my d-dear, sweet, Isabella with her."

Corinne felt her stomach clench with sympathy. "I'm so sorry, Mr. O'Keane. If I may ask, how old is your daughter?"

"She'd be n-nine this year, Miss," O'Keane replied.

Corinne reached a hand out to touch his arm politely. "I do hope you see her again, then," she told him sincerely, to which he gave her a grateful smile. She turned to Brother Rigsley with an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, but I think it's time Elizabeth and I leave. I don't want to keep her mother waiting for us. It was certainly a pleasure meeting the both of you."

Rigsley nodded in understanding. "Of course, dear. Have a lovely afternoon, you two."

Corinne gave O'Keane and Rigsley one more smile before linking her arm with Elizabeth and leaving the church. Edward was standing outside with the carriage, Olivia next to him expectantly. When they reached the bottom step, Elizabeth detached herself from Corinne to run ahead and slide into the carriage. Edward held the door open and allowed Olivia and Corinne to slide in after. Olivia sat next to Elizabeth, making Corinne frown slightly as Edward took his seat next to her and shut the door. The carriage began rattling down the busy London street, carrying them away from the church to the Midford manor.

There was a stagnant silence in the air save for the rattling of the carriage wheels against the cobblestone and then before anyone could react, Corinne brought her fan out and whapped Edward harshly on the shoulder. Elizabeth jumped and Olivia covered her mouth with a delicate hand to stifle a chuckle.

"Ow! Bloody hell, Corinne. What was that for?" Edward rubbed his shoulder and gave the girl next to him a glare.

"That," Corinne said matter-of-factly, "was for leaving me to fend for myself among those old biddies!"

Edward smirked slightly. "You did fine."

Corinne huffed and glared out the opposite window. "Honestly, you're insufferable sometimes."

Elizabeth couldn't help but chime in. "Only sometimes? Edward must be going lax," she giggled a little. Edward rolled his eyes in response.

Corinne ignored him. It was going to be a long ride back to the manor.

* * *

><p><em>Thank you so much for the lovely reviews! Next update might be a bit late. I need to build up my buffer again, which shouldn't take too long since I am on Spring Break now.<em>

_**Reference Notes:**_

"_Yes; two actually. If they count as two, anyways." He wrinkled his nose a bit. "Ashe and Angela were their names. Disgusting, the both of them." - I realise Ashe/Angela is actually a hermaphroditic angel, but for the sake of causing the least amount of confusion in dialogue, I'm treating them like separate entities in one body. Think, like split-personalities. _

_Saint James church is not based off any existing England church, although I'm sure there actually is a Saint James church. Just to clarify. I was a bit tentative with this section because I'm not familiar with church proceedings in 19__th__ century England as opposed to today and doubt I will ever be no matter how much research I do. You'll forgive me though, right?_

"_Biddy" in this context (there are quite a lot of interpretations for "biddy"), is an English slang term that came about in the late 18__th__ century, referring to a generally annoying, interfering older woman._


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